Etta Palm d'Aelders facts for kids

Etta Lubina Johanna Palm d'Aelders (born April 1743 – died 28 March 1799) was a Dutch woman who became a spy and a strong supporter of women's rights. She was very active during the French Revolution.

Etta gave an important speech called Discourse on the Injustice of the Laws in Favour of Men, at the Expense of Women. She gave this speech to the French National Convention on December 30, 1790. She also helped start the first group in France made only for women. This group was called Société patriotique et de bienfaisance des Amies de la Vérité.

Etta used these groups to teach people about the challenges women faced. She wanted to show men how their actions were harming women's lives. Etta worked with other famous women like Olympe de Gouges. They all wanted to improve women's rights and make real changes for equality.

Biography of Etta Palm d'Aelders

Etta Lubina Johanna d'Aelders was born in April 1743. Her family lived in Groningen, which is in the Netherlands. Her father, Jacob Aelders van Nieuwenhuys, sold wallpaper and ran a pawnshop. Her mother was Agatha Petronella de Sitter.

Etta's father died when she was only six years old in 1749. Her mother then took over the family pawnshop business. This was unusual for the time. Etta's mother made sure Etta received a good education. Etta learned French and possibly some English and Italian. This was a great opportunity for a girl who was not from a noble family.

Around her late teenage years, Etta met Christiaan Ferdinand Lodewijk Palm. They got married in 1762. Christiaan later left for the Dutch colonies in the East Indies.

In 1768, Etta traveled with a young lawyer named Jan Munniks. He was going to France as a consul for the Dutch Republic. On her journey, Etta met Douwe Sirtema van Grovestins. He helped her meet important people. In 1773, Etta moved to Paris. She lived in the Palais Royal area. She earned a good income from her connections. This allowed her to live in fancy homes. Her house became a meeting place for young thinkers. From 1778 to 1792, she worked in diplomacy. She sometimes worked for the Netherlands, Prussia, or France.

Etta's Political Activities

Etta d'Aelders was very good at her diplomatic work. This helped her earn enough money to move to a bigger house in Paris. There, she created a salon. A salon was a special gathering where many people interested in politics would meet.

During this time, Etta wrote many letters to important political figures. These letters show that she was deeply involved in political discussions.

Revolutionary and Feminist Work

During the French Revolution, Etta worked hard for women's rights. She wanted to achieve equality between men and women. She was friends with Louise-Félicité de Kéralio, who edited a newspaper. She also supported the ideas of Olympe de Gouges.

By 1790, Etta was already a well-known political person. She strongly supported the French Revolution from the start in 1789. She knew important people like Robespierre.

Etta was one of the few women who took direct political action. She gained public attention on November 26, 1790. She spoke at a meeting of the Amis de la Vérité. Her speech was called 'On the injustice of the law in favour of men, at the expense of women'. In her speech, she asked for women to be able to take part in political life. The Cercle social was an important group in Paris. It helped shape political discussions in the city. Etta became very active in groups that supported women's rights. One such group was the Société Fraternelle des Patriotes de l'un et l'autre sexe.

Etta decided to take more direct action. In February 1791, she planned to create a network of women's groups across France. These groups would be connected by a main society in Paris. As part of this plan, Etta started a women's group similar to Cercle social. She named it Société Patriotique et de Bienfaisance des Amies de la Vérité. This happened in March 1791. This society became the main focus of her work to fight unfair treatment against women. The group focused on women's rights. Only women could join. Etta wanted to help girls who were not well-off by teaching them useful skills. She hoped to set up schools or workshops. While she couldn't create these, she did help three girls. She paid for their apprenticeships using money from society members.

As the president of Société Patriotique et de Bienfaisance des Amies de la Vérité, Etta's speeches were widely read and heard. She gained much support from women in Paris. She was a great speaker. Many people listened to her at society meetings. She spoke about important topics like equal rights, better education, and the right to divorce.

On April 1, 1792, Etta and a group of women spoke to the Assembly. They asked for women to be allowed to have civil and military jobs. They also asked for girls' education to be the same as boys'. They wanted women to be considered adults at age 21. And they asked for a law on divorce. The President of the Assembly said no. However, the Assembly later took action because of Etta's ideas. On September 20, 1792, the first divorce law was put into place. This law allowed divorce for many reasons. This was a big step for women's freedom.

The society continued until Etta was suspected of being a spy in late 1792. After that, the society disappeared from public life in France.

There were rumors that Etta was linked to the King of Prussia. These accusations were not true. But they hurt her growing political career. Even so, the French government still trusted Etta's political skills. They sent her on a diplomatic mission to Holland. The new French Republic wanted to send an ambassador there. However, Etta did not return to France. She did not take up her political role again.

Etta d’Aelders died in The Hague on March 28, 1799. She is believed to be buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery in Rijswijk.

See also

In Spanish: Etta Palm d'Aelders para niños